


Five Times Caleb Wanted to Kiss Caduceus and One Time Caduceus Kissed Him

by PossiblyNobody



Category: Critical Role (Web Series), Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Exactly What It Says on the Tin, Fluff, Give Caleb a Boyfriend 2019, M/M, Mollymauk is alive bc fuck you, Schmoop, Team as Family, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-14 01:37:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20592530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PossiblyNobody/pseuds/PossiblyNobody
Summary: Alternatively: Five times Caleb realised he wanted to kiss Caduceus and promptly freaked the hell out.





	Five Times Caleb Wanted to Kiss Caduceus and One Time Caduceus Kissed Him

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys like it! I haven't posted in forever so it might be trash :)

Caleb noticed it on a Thursday.

It was a Thursday like any other in the library at Zadash University- students were either working furiously between stacks of books around them, or outside sunbathing on the grass between lectures. Caleb fell into the former group. 

He had been working on an Alchemical assignment for the past hour, silently cursing the fact he hadn’t taken Nott up on her offer of a mini tutor session for the one part of the lecture Caleb hadn’t paid attention to (“are you sure Caleb? I don’t have to meet Yeza for coffee” “Ja Liebling, I will be fine”). 

(Caleb was not fine).

He was just about to throw down his pen when-

“You look like you need this”

Caleb looked up to see Caduceus Clay, towering over his desk, a strand of pink hair falling over his ear, and holding out a thermos. 

Wordlessly Caleb took the thermos from his friend and took a hesitant sip, too used to strange herbal mixtures that Caduceus often brought all of the Nein, and too tired to refuse the simple act of kindness that the firbolg often made. 

It was coffee. Caduceus never brought him coffee. He didn’t believe in the stuff. 

Blinking tiredly, Caleb made a questioning ‘hmm’ sound and gestured towards Caduceus with the thermos. 

“I figured you needed it today, and although I couldn’t do with the taste, I suppose there’s no harm in bringing a simple pleasure to a friend in need.” Caduceus gently explained. 

He wanted to cry. He had wanted to get a coffee, any coffee, today, but he didn’t have the funds necessary to pay for it. 

He wanted to cry, he wanted to finish his assignment… 

He wanted to kiss Caduceus. 

Wide-eyed, Caleb blurted out “ja that is very nice.. sweet.. of you to d- I mean it is kind, thank you Herr Clay.”

“You know you can call me Caduceus, Mr. Caleb, aren’t we friends enough for that?” - the firbolg blinked at Caleb slowly, his perceptive eyes running over the ginger man. 

Suddenly Caleb felt too exposed. 

“Ah, um, yes, you are Caduceus and I am Caleb, thank you very much for the coffee, I need to do more work now” and he resolutely picked up his pen, determined to ignore (his sudden urge to kiss) the man in front of him. 

———————————————————————————————————————-  
The second time Caleb noticed he wanted to kiss Caduceus was on a Sunday. 

The Nein were all in their shared student house, sprawled over various pieces or furniture or whatever passed for it (Beau had flopped onto a rug, Jester on a beanbag). 

The conversation was flitting between subjects, with Caleb only absently paying it any mind, preferring instead to concentrate the Frumpkin on his lap who was purring gently. 

Fjord walked in from the adjoining kitchen with mugs for everyone, fulfilling his begrudging role as mother hen to the group (“it ain’t like y’all’d’ve taken care of y’selves otherwise”).

Caleb pretended not to watch as Fjord passed a mug of tea to Caduceus, but extracted a hand from Frumpkin to take the proffered coffee from Fjord as he doled out the warm drinks. 

Beau grunted when her chai tea was placed near her rug, Jester cooed when she was handed her warm milk, Yasha gave a small smile at her hot chocolate, and Nott made grabby hands at her (frankly horrifying) coffee and energy drink mixture. Molly’s mug stayed in the kitchen unfilled since they were still sleeping after a night shift at the local bar. 

As soon as everyone had settled in with their drinks, Caduceus brought up a frequent conversation with him- tea. Talking about the health benefits, mental and physical, of his current mixture. 

Caleb found himself staring, bemused and reluctantly fond of the seven feet tall firbolg, excitedly expounding the benefits of tea, whilst cross legged on the floor with his back to Nott’s chair. 

He could feel his face getting red so he looked back down to Frumpkin, concentrating on stroking his soft fur. When he deemed it safe to chance a look, he caught Nott’s eye instead, who was raising an eyebrow at him and grinning with all her teeth. 

Busted. 

———————————————————————————————————————-

The third time he wasn’t even doing anything. 

They were just passing one another on campus between lectures and Caduceus waved to him on the path. 

Neither of them had enough time to stop and say more than ‘hi’ but it was enough time for Caleb to see what he was wearing. 

It looked like the softest jumper ever, with little flowers at the wrists, it made Caleb want to bury his face in Caduceus’ chest for a hug and never let go, savouring in the warmth and softness. 

Wanting to hug him wasn’t a new phenomenon. Everyone knew Caduceus gave the best hugs, and he readily passed them out to whoever needed them. 

What was new was that Caleb also wanted to nudge his face upwards and press a soft kiss to his lips mid-hug. 

The though made him stumble over nothing while walking towards the firbolg, who reached out his long arms to catch him before he fully faceplanted. 

“Be careful there Mr. Caleb, you don’t want to mess up your face now”. he drawled out, brushing Caleb’s hair back from his face a little. 

Overwhelmed, Caleb made a squeaking noise and scurried to his next class, throwing a wave over his shoulder to not seem quite so socially inept. 

Let it be known that Caleb was not the smoothest of humans. 

——————————————————————————-

The fourth time was innocuous too. 

Caleb was in the University library (shock), and was struggling to reach a book he needed on the top shelf. 

Struggling to reach, he was solely tempted to use Mage Hand (if his eyes weren’t blurring from lack of sleep and he though he could get the book he wanted without knocking over the whole shelf).

“Sheiße” he quietly muttered to himself, reaching again with no avail. 

Suddenly he felt a warm presence behind him and a long arm reached up and over him to grab his book. His face feeling hot, he turned around and was face to chest with Caduceus. 

Keeping his eyes resolutely on his chest, Caleb accepted the proffered book with a little “danke”.

A small huffed exhale of amusement came from above him- when Caleb brought his eye up to meet Caduceus’, he remembered why he had been avoiding that. 

Caduceus may not be the smartest person he knew, but he was definitely the most perceptive, and those shrewd eyes were looking, considering, at Caleb now. 

Much like the third time- Caleb ran away. 

————————————————————————-

The fifth time was at a bar.

It was all the Nein together again, mostly drinking to forget the end of the week and the barrage of tests they had been subjected to. 

Beau was trying to flirt with Yasha again, and was met as always with an implacable stare. 

Fjord was letting Jester draw on his hand; three drinks in and he was “amenable to anything you’d like to draw Jessie”.

(it was dicks. Surprisingly anatomical ones too.)

Caleb was sat next to Nott, cradling a beer and leaning back, surveying the bar, while listening to a story from Nott about her boyfriend who was 'so smart and intelligent, Caleb, not as impressive as you but still so cool'.

Across the table he found himself staring looking at Caduceus again. He was sat next to Molly, who had somehow roped him into letting them braid his hair with a ribbon he had procured from… somewhere. 

Caduceus didn’t drink often, so the alcohol tonight was giving him even more of a relaxed temperament, if that were possible. 

Midway through taking a sip and replying to Nott about Yeza, Caduceus’ eyes met Caleb’s and he quirked an eyebrow. 

Caleb sputtered and choked on his drink, practically inhaling it instead of drinking. 

While clearing himself up, a soft voice carried over the table- “ was going to ask what you think of my hair, but I suppose I have my answer”- the voice came with a bemused smile and a tug at one of the braids. 

Face burning red, and nerves getting the best of him, Caleb quickly asked Nott if she wanted to play some pool. The little goblin was a true friend and agreed instantly, though she was also a very good friend and teased Caleb about it on the walk over to the table. 

Sighing internally, Caleb resigned himself to never looking at Caduceus again, or speaking to him, for fear of further disasters. 

They played pool for an hour before Nott jumped off to grab another round of drinks. While waiting for Nott to arrive, Caduceus came over. 

“Do you want to play a game?”

“Ja… sure”

Quickly breaking his promise to himself of not staring, his gaze was locked onto the firbolg as he draped himself over the table to reach a shot. 

“I feel like you’re cheating with your height, Mr. Clay” he found himself teasing.

“Well I’ve never played before so I figure I should take all the natural advantages the Wildmother gives me” came the reply. 

Instantly Caleb had a vision of ‘showing him how to play pool’, pressed tightly against him, maybe dropping a kiss or two onto his cheek. 

That thought was rudely interrupted by the return of Nott with the drinks, allowing Caleb to quickly bury himself in his pint glass again to stop himself offering up ‘help’.

Caduceus’ eyes looked a little too knowing as he potted his first ball, making eye contact again with Caleb from across the table.

——————————————————————————-  
(+1) 

It was a Thursday again. 

Caleb was in the library again.

Much like the fourth time he was struggling to reach a book. 

Glancing quickly around him, he could see no one paying attention, so took a breath and decided to climb the bookcase. 

He didn’t get further than one foot on the first rung of shelves before a quiet voice said “do you want some help there?”

Caduceus again. 

Defeated. Caleb nodded and quickly told him the name of the book.

Starting to move away so he could get to the book unimpeded, Caleb instead found himself again pushing back on the shelves by the warm weight of the fibolg’s body pressing up against him as he reached up. 

Slowly bringing the book down, Caduceus made eye contact with Caleb and gave him a considering look with a tiled head that made Caleb feel overexposed. 

Fidgeting slightly, Caleb tried to escape the conversation by saying;

“ah, um yes, thank you, could you please hand me the bo-“

Before he could finish the sentence, the firbolg had leaned down and captured his lips in a gentle kiss. 

Instinctively, Caleb’s hands went to his jumper, grasping at the other man’s waist as he tilted his head up. 

His lips were as soft as he had imagined, the jumper too, and Caleb wanted to stay in that moment forever. 

All too soon, it was over. 

Making a soft noise of protest, he leaned back heavily onto the bookshelves, looking up at the pink-haired man above him, who was smiling. 

Caduceus hummed thoughtfully, said “I thought so”, and leaned back down to capture Caleb’s lips. 

... Perceptive bastard, Caleb thought.


End file.
